Dustin's Blog — Dustinsfishtanks

Read Time: 5 minutes Hygrophila History, Biology, and Taxonomy - AKA how Petunias, Australia, and Diabetes are Related Taxonomy Hygrophila (sometimes called swampweed) is the more popular of the two aquatic genuses in the Acanthaceae family, which makes it a "cousin" to other commonly kept plants like Acanthus (Bear's Breeches), wild petunias (Ruellia), and the polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya). There are about 100 Hygrophila species currently recognized. Botanists and taxonomists are in the process of re-evaluating how to define the genus and its species, though, so the number might change in the near future. History (Or, how I came...

Read Time: 7 mins Welcome back to part 146,225,453 of aquarium concepts companies like to make complicated for absolutely no reason! You're starting a planted tank and you realize, "Oh, hey, my plants look good now, but I bet they'd look amazing if I fertilized them." You Google aquarium fertilizers and are blasted with dozens of products, ads, and advice forums and none of them say the same thing. Don't worry. Choosing and using aquarium ferts is a lot easier than it looks - and you may not even need them. Here, we'll answer some of the most commonly asked...

Read Time: 5 mins Welcome back to the second installment of the aquarium history series (Check out the first on the history of fishkeeping and aquariums)! We'll dig into the history of one of the coolest and most popular fish species on the planet: the betta.  When, where, and how were betta fish discovered? Bettas are all over the world these days, but they're native to southeast Asia, originating in Thailand (fun fact: they're the national aquatic animal of Thailand). Thailand, previously called Siam, is where their history with humans began, as they were collected in shallow pools and pitted...

Read Time: 5 mins Looking for info on easy aquarium plants with a ton of variety for any part of your tank? You've come to the right place. Here, we'll break down the Echinodorous genus of plants, highlight some epic sword species, and give you tips and tricks for keeping your swords looking sharp. (Scroll to the bottom for a quick reference guide for how to care for Amazon swords!) About Amazon Swords They're called "Amazon" swords because of how prevalent they are in the Amazonian regions of South America, but these plants are native throughout the Western hemisphere. How they...

Read Time: 5 minutes Dustin's called this the most overlooked part of your aquarium, and it's the truth. Substrates are often the heart of healthy (or unhealthy) fish tank biology. So, in every sense of the phrase, let's dig in. First Off: Do You Even Need Substrate in Your Aquarium? Depends on the rest of your setup and what your goals are. The benefits of aquarium substrate are looks, increased surface area for beneficial bacteria and fungi, more options for plants and animals, and an easier time growing live plants. That said, you can also grow bacteria on other surfaces...